Grade: C+
There is a lot to recommend about this book. The premise was interesting, the characters were engaging. I loved the moments of connection... It's those moments, sort of like in Avatar, of "I see YOU" not the facade that made the book interesting for me.
Let me just say, there was too much sex and not enough plot. I like reading about sex as much as the next girl, but really I would have liked to know more about these characters. I was left with too many questions and had to make too many intuitive leaps to be really satisfied. Why does his family think Gavin is a disappointment? Is it just because he hasn't done anything with his life that they find valuable? What was Jamie's relationship with Colton? Why was Jamie so traumatized by his death beyond the obvious considering the book takes place more than ten years later?
The ending was a bit abrupt and felt like a Happy-for-now rather than a Happily-ever-after. Considering they couldn't get on the same page until the last few pages of the book... How were they going to weather the shit storm heading their way immediately after the end of the book? What will Gavin's family have to say about the relationship and how will Jamie cope with all the scrutiny in the media and at work? To me, the book ended 2/3 of the way through the story.
If you liked the rest of the series, you will like this one just as much. Bad Attitude was a good and enjoyable read, but I was left wanting a little more.
I was thinking about the differences between the Florida series and the Baltimore series. The Baltimore ones are darker in tone, the characters less forgiving, the secondary characters have less emotional impact on the main characters. The MCs begin the stories largely alone with few positive connections with other people... The Florida series is completely the opposite. It's like the warmer climate makes the people warmer and more connected. Even if you just look at the book cover, the Florida ones are brighter, more colorful, warmer... The Baltimore ones are darker, nearly monochrome, and even the skin tones are cooler. Just my two-cents.
As always, I close with the eye candy...
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| (Source: Machodesungao) |
